Friday, 17 June 2016

Hormones in Labour and Birth

There are several hormones that play a significant role
during pregnancy, labour and birth.

Oxytocin is
a powerful hormone, which is known as the love hormone. The word oxytocin
derives from Greek, and means ‘quick birth’.Oxytocin is known for having a significant role in sexual reproduction,
especially childbirth. It facilitates birth (cervical dilation and
surges/contractions), maternal bonding and, due to stimulation of the nipples,
breastfeeding (let-down reflex). Oxytocin is released when orgasm is
experienced, and when one experiences various kinds of physical contact with
others, including massage, hugging, kissing and even shaking hands. And,
when we take a deep breath, oxytocin is released when we exhale, especially a
slow, long exhalation. The body’s release of oxytocin helps to reduce anxiety
and helps one feel more relaxed, content and secure. This is why it is key to
your hypnobirthing practice, and you are taught on a hypnobirthing course various things to help your
body’s ability to produce oxytocin: breathing, relaxation, light touch massage,
etc.

Endorphins are
another powerful hormone, and is known as a natural pain killer. Their chemical
structure resembles that of opiates (morphine-based drugs) and endorphins
therefore are the body’s own way of producing analgesic responses and feelings
of well-being.Endorphins are released
when we take exercise, experience excitement, feel pain, consume spicy food and
a variety of other ways.In pregnancy,
endorphin levels are raised, which is triggered by the presence of the
placenta, and is said to assist in increasing the allocation of nutrients to
the placenta to nourish the developing fetus.In terms of pain relieving attributes, a release of endorphins prevents
nerve cells from sending pain signals via nerve impulses up the spinal cord to
the brain.Techniques such as light
touch massage and deep relaxation taught on the course help the body maximize its production of
endorphins during labour and birth, thus minimizing any pain sensations.

The presence of the above hormones inhibits the body’s
ability to produce adrenalin, which needs to be minimized during labour and
birth.

Adrenaline is responsible for the body’s instinctive fear
responses. Adrenaline is, of course, useful to the body at appropriate times,
for example, when we need to quickly get out of danger, if we are running a
race or for a bus, or working to an important deadline.However, the adrenaline rush that comes with
a fear response has no place in birth.The body’s instinctive fear response is often referred to ‘fight or
flight’, and is actually ‘freeze, fight or flight’.

During such a response, blood and oxygen will
be diverted to the legs and arms in preparation to flee or defend oneself. In
labour, that means that essential blood and oxygen is diverted away from the
muscle that needs that energy:the
uterus.Because a woman in labour is not
in a position to flee or fight, the freeze response is triggered, often causing
labour to slow down or stop.Medical
professionals will sometimes refer to such labours as ‘failing to progress’
(FTP).In hypnobirthing, we refer to
such labours as exhibiting the fear-tension-pain (FTP) scenario.Where there is fear, the body experiences
tension and that is when we feel pain.

The human body and mind are very clever though.It is impossible for adrenaline (and
therefore the fear response) to be present when one has rising levels of
oxytocin and endorphins. So by using the hypnobirthing techniques learned on a hypnobirthing course, which help
to reduce fear, increase feelings of confidence and calm and bring a deep state
of relaxation, women can manage labour and birth without experiencing
fear-tension-pain.